CHEER HANDBOOK WINK JUNIOR HIGH/HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS AND MASCOT

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1 CHEER HANDBOOK WINK JUNIOR HIGH/HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS AND MASCOT ARTICLE I. Guidelines for Cheerleading: Your appearance and your conduct will reflect upon your school. The students, teachers, and judges who chose you for this position did so because they think you will make a favorable impression. You should try to fulfill their expectations. A Cheerleader s role is to improve the student morale, to boost team spirit and to help Wink Junior High/ High School achieve the objectives of its supporting interscholastic league and other programs. You are to direct the student body in its support of your school s teams. This role makes you a strong influence in guiding student conduct at games and you should maintain the proper dignity in this leadership. ARTICLE II. Objectives: 1. To promote the type of sportsmanship that will help students acquire the basic attributes of good citizenship; 2. To develop a wholesome school spirit; 3. To develop loyalty to your school and team, regardless of the outcome; 4. To promote a cooperative spirit among the student body, the faculty and the administration; 5. To help your school achieve the objectives of its interscholastic athletics activities; 6. To promote all competitions in which the school participates. ARTICLE III. Purpose: The purpose shall be to promote and uphold school spirit, to develop a sense of good sportsmanship among the students, and to maintain positive relationships between competing schools during all athletic events. ARTICLE IV. Junior High/High School Membership: A. One high school squad consisting of ten (10) freshman, sophomore, junior, and/or senior students; B. One junior high squad consisting of six (6) members selected from the seventh and eighth grade. If there are six or less qualified for tryouts, the squad will be made up of those eligible and tryouts will not be held; C. A varsity wildcat mascot- either a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior student ARTICLE V. Qualifications: A. Any candidate who has been ineligible two times during the school year will be disqualified from cheerleader try-outs; B. Students must have attended WLISD one full semester prior to try-outs; C. Have written permission from parents to compete; D. Attend all workshops, practices, etc. unless excused in advance by the sponsor; E. Attend cheerleader summer camp or similar type facility; F. Students with excessive absences from school, as deemed by Attendance Committee, may be disqualified (7 or more per semester); G. Any or all financial responsibilities with WLISD shall be paid in full prior to try-outs.

2 ARTICLE VI. Tryout information A. All candidates will participate in two different try out session. 1. Student body and Faculty/Staff - open to the public 2. Judges Closed to the public. The only people allowed to be present, are the cheerleader/mascot candidates, participants helping with skits, current cheer sponsor(s), and a member of the administration team. B. Voting percentages 1. Student body = 25% 2. Faculty/Staff = 35% 3. Judges = 40% 4. With a total score out of 100% ARTICLE VII Cheer Squad Captain A. Must be a Junior or Senior B. Has been on the Varsity squad for at least 2 years C. Will be determined by overall scores from tryouts Cheer Squad Captain Duties A. To ensure that the head cheerleader of the week has everything ready for the upcoming week ARTICLE VII. Head Cheerleader s Duties (a different girl each week) A. To ensure that the agenda and theme of each pep rally is given to the sponsor Monday BEFORE the pep rally; B. To coordinate outfits, props, etc. that are needed for pep rallies and/or games; C. To be sure of game times and to ensure that all cheerleaders are present and on time; D. To call a meeting of the cheerleaders, with sponsor approval, when necessary; E. To see that all areas, supplies, etc. are in order after practices, sign painting, or any other group activities; F. To arrange necessary hospitality to all visiting teams. ARTICLE IX. Uniform and Equipment Regulations: A. Uniforms, megaphones, and pom poms will be purchased by the school district and will remain the property of WLISD; B. Uniforms should receive excellent care for satisfactory public appearance; C. Cheerleader should arrive at games dressed in complete and proper uniform; D. Each cheerleader is responsible for the uniform that is worn on game days and other authorized occasions. If the cheerleader is dismissed, he/she is not allowed to wear the uniforms to school at any time. Also, if the cheerleader is dismissed, he/she will not be allowed to take pictures in any cheerleading uniform. Dismissed cheerleader will not appear in any group pictures in the current school yearbook; E. WLISD will pay the cost of camp attendance, but the cheerleader will be responsible for the cost of camp clothes, shoes, and incidentals; F. All cheerleaders (high school and junior high) are responsible for the cost of shoes, socks, and incidentals such as tights.

3 ARTICLE X. Cheerleader Duties A. Cheerleaders will be required to attend the various sport activities (junior high will attend all home football games and one out-of-town football game high school will attend all varsity football games and home junior varsity football games, and will cheer at all home district games for volleyball and basketball, and any playoff games for volleyball and basketball); B. Members must contact the sponsor to inform her of any absence or late arrival before a performance or practice takes place; C. When transportation is provided by the school, members are expected to travel as a unit. If a cheerleader would like to ride home with parents after a game, she may do so after a note from the parents is given to the sponsor. If a cheerleader wishes to ride home with anyone other than her parents, this must be cleared in advance through the high school office; D. Members are expected to support all financial projects sponsored by the cheerleader squad; E. Cheerleaders are expected to learn and stay current with any or all material that is presented to them (i.e. dances, cheers, etc.) A cheerleader who is not prepared to perform (based on the judgment of the sponsor) may be asked to sit out for certain cheers or dances. *** ILLNESS, DEATH IN THE IMMEDIATELY FAMILY, AND PRE- ARRANGED ABSENCE THROUGH THE SPONSOR SHALL BE THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE EXCUSES FOR ABSENCE! ARTICLE XI. Practices: A. Before or After School Practices Cheerleader practices will be called for, as deemed necessary, by the cheerleader sponsor. Ample notice will be given so that the cheerleaders can make the necessary arrangements. **WLISD cheerleaders will not be asked to decide between practices or performances of UIL events and cheerleading. In the event of a conflict, the UIL event will take precedence.** B. Summer Practices The sponsor, prior to the dismissal of school, will set up specific dates for summer practices. This summer practice schedule will require the cheerleader spending part of the summer involved in various cheerleader activities. Camp attendance is MANDATORY for all high school cheerleaders and the mascot! CHEER CAMP in Lubbock, TUESDAY - FRIDAY, JUNE *** ABSENCES DURING THE PRACTICES WILL BE EXCUSED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: A. DEATH IN THE FAMILY B. ILLNESS C. FAMILY VACATIONS OR VISITATIONS (IF SPONSOR IS NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE!) *IF A CHEERLEADER HAS TWO OR MORE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES FROM SUMMER PRACTICES, SHE WILL NOT CHEER DURING THE FIRST GAME OR TAKE PART IN ANY PRE-GAME PREPARATIONS (PEP RALLIES, SKITS, ETC.)

4 ARTICLE XII. Conduct Code: A. WLISD cheerleaders will: 1. Conduct themselves as good citizens at all times (in and out of school); 2. Demonstrate leadership qualities and use mature, sound judgment; 3. Demonstrate excellent conduct in the classroom as well as during cheerleading activities; 4. No public display of affection AT ANY TIME. B. Penalties A member shall not be allowed to cheer in one performance if he/she: 1. is excessively tardy to a game, performance, practice or activity two (2) times; 2. is absent from school more than four (4) periods on the day of the performance; 3. misses transportation to the game one (1) time. C. Dismissal from the Cheerleader Squad This will occur if the cheerleader is: 1. determined by the Review Board following an investigation to have been drinking, smoking or taking illegal drugs at any time; 2. absent from a performance without an excuse and does not notify the sponsor prior to the performance; 3. academically ineligible after failing to bring up his/her grades after two (2) six-weeks periods; 4. engaged in inappropriate behavior and/or public display of affection; 5. failure to meet financial responsibilities within the specified time lines. ARTICLE XIII. Extracurricular Activities School Day Attendance A. An athlete or participant is expected to report on time for school each day. Also, each athlete or participant must make every effort to be in school the day following events. If a pattern of absence develops following events, the coach, director, or principal will take appropriate disciplinary action. That action may range from a warning to suspension from participation for a period of time. B. An athlete or participant must be in attendance the day of the contest prior to 10:00 a.m. C. If an athlete or participant is illegally absent, truant, suspended, or excused from any part of the school day due to illness, he/she may not participate in a sport activity that day, whether it is practice or a game. **Note: Absences that are approved by the office enabling students to participate include but are not limited to educational reasons (e.g. field trips, extracurricular activities), college visitations, doctor and/or dentist appointments, and funerals. The Wink-Loving ISD Student Code of Conduct applies to all athletes and their behavior during practice and competition since these are school-related activities. The consequences for any violation of the Student Code of Conduct are listed in that document, and the students will receive those consequences for misconduct as an athlete. In addition, in accordance with Board Policy FO (Local), with the approval of the principal and Superintendent, sponsors and coaches of extracurricular activities may develop and enforce standards of behavior that are higher than the District-developed Student Code of Conduct and may condition membership or participation in the activity on adherence to those standards. Extracurricular standards of behavior may take into consideration conduct that occurs at any time, on or off school property. Extracurricular behavioral standards shall not have the effect of discriminating on

5 the basis of gender, race, color, disability, religion, ethnicity, or national origin. Students shall be informed of any extracurricular behavior standards at the beginning of each school year or when the students first begin participation in the activity. Students and their parents shall sign and return to the sponsor or coach a statement that they have read the extracurricular behavior standards and consent to them as a condition of participation in the activity. Standards of behavior for an extracurricular activity are independent of the Student Code of Conduct. Violations of these standards of behavior that are also violations of the Student Code of Conduct may result in independent disciplinary actions. A student may be removed from participation in extracurricular activities or may be excluded from school honors for violation of extracurricular standards of behavior for an activity or for violation of the Student Code of Conduct. ARTICLE XIIII. Review Board: Any cheerleader who fails to maintain the standards of conduct and character required of the organization must appear before the review board. This could include behavior or conduct which reflects unfavorably upon the school and/or the cheerleaders or a violation of the constitution or the Student Code of Conduct or failure to meet other requirements. A. Membership The Review board will consist of the following voting members: 1. junior high/high school principal 2. cheerleading sponsor B. Actions The review board may decide upon the following actions: 1. The cheerleader may be placed on probation; 2. The cheerleader may be suspended from cheerleading activities for a designated period of time; 3. The cheerleader may be dismissed from the squad.

6 Cheerleader/Mascot Agreement I have carefully read and considered the Cheerleader/Mascot Guidelines for Wink Junior High/ High School. I have also had the opportunity to ask questions concerning it. I agree that I will at all times abide by the rules and regulations stated in the Guidelines as long as I am a member of the cheerleading squad. I realize that failure to comply with these rules can result in dismissal from the squad. Student Signature Date Parent/Guardian Agreement I have carefully read and considered the Cheerleader/Mascot Guidelines. I have also been given the opportunity to ask questions concerning it. I understand that if my child is selected as cheerleader or mascot, he/she will be expected to follow all rules and regulations outlined in the Guidelines. I agree, as a parent, to help my child follow these guidelines. I also realize there will be a financial responsibility on my part. Parent/Guardian Signature Date